Insulin gets a black eye when it comes to weight loss. But a new insulin analogue out of Eli Lilly is showing the opposite side effect on people who use insulin to treat their diabetes. The study was published in Diabetes, Obesity, & Metabolism.

In phase 2 studies, the basal insulin was shown to help patients with T1D lose weight during the 8 and 12 week trials. Although both types of diabetes lost weight, people with T1D has more weight loss. People with T2D lost, on average, about 1.5 pounds.

This miraculous insulin analogue is codified as PEGylated insulin Lispro, for now. It has altered absorption and reduced clearance associated with a large hydrodynamic size, was associated with comparable or better glycemic control than insulin glargine as well as reduced weight.

All that glitters may not be gold. The side effects from this swanky concoction may be a little too supermodel for many to handle. On the list of the adverse events is nausea, abdominal distention, and indigestion.

One more thing to note is the incidence of low blood sugar. Although it is a little more likely with PEGylated insulin Lispro, it’s all in the timing. Compared to Lantus, the incidence of nigh time lows is less often.

This all sounds pretty good for early discovery. But what did the a senior medical director at Eli Lilly have to say about it? The weight loss effect likely has something to do with the fact that the new insulin acts more in the liver than other insulins, which enables the patient to ultimately break down more fat because insulin in the periphery tends to inhibit the breakdown of fat in adipocytes.

It all sounds good to me. Let’s make it safe. Let’s make it available. Let’s make it rain, LLY.